Angel Wings
by Lady Elvina
Summary: Rinoa begins a startling transformation after defeating Ultimecia, but what will she really become?
1. Default Chapter

Angel Wings Chapter One  
  
(I do not own Final Fantasy Eight, its characters, or have anything to do with Squaresoft, so don't sue me. Please. I'm just an obsessed fan that thinks that this theory is a sad but really cool one. Read and enjoy!)  
  
It happened while I was taking a shower a month after my friends and I defeated Ultimecia. I had woken up with a sharpest back pain I had ever experienced, and even after taking a probably less than healthy dose of aspirin I decided that a shower might be the next best thing.  
  
I had been granted the honor of becoming an official SeeD by helping the others in battle, and was highly decorated alongside my friends for bravery, valor, honor, and several other things, but that didn't matter to me. All I knew was that I was living amongst people I loved, in a place that I could truly call home; away from my father and the quiet halls that lacked the laughter my mother had once provided. Needless to say, the Garden was a vast improvement, and each day was nothing short of a dream come true.  
  
My room was right in between Quistis's and Selphie's in the much grander dormitory than the students whom were still in training. The Timber Owls had in a way saved me from all of that, though every couple of days Selphie and I take an obstacle course through the Training Center, and on extra special days Squall comes with us. Squall and I became very close very fast over the months after Ultimecia's defeat, and it's been amazing to see him adapt so well to being headmaster here at Garden. I always knew that we would be perfect for the job, and he has Zell, Irvine, Quistis, Selphie, and myself to help him out every step of the way. Our friendships have helped us through so much, and this is no exception.  
  
As it was a Saturday, Selphie and Quistis were still sleeping as I crept out of my room and down to the bathrooms. My shoulders were still blazing with pain as I gratefully shrugged off my pajamas and stepped into the steaming shower stall. The lack of fabric covering my back seemed to help relieve some of the pain, but it wasn't long before the pain attacked my back and shoulders all over again. I bit my lip hard and bowed my head under the faucet, letting it course its way down my dark brunette hair before dripping onto my feet. The pain was getting worse, and eventually I was sobbing and kneeling on the floor of the shower stall, hugging myself tightly. It seemed like the skin of my back was tearing itself apart, and there was no way to stop it. I could see blood dripping into the water that pooled at my feet, and I began to panic. I had no idea what was happening to me, and it was terrifying.  
  
"Rinoa! Is that you?" I could hear Selphie's voice from outside the stall, and she sounded concerned. "Are you okay in there?"  
  
"I...I don't know." I stuttered, feeling light-headed at the sight of the crimson waters that lapped around my pale feet. "Something is wrong with my back, Selphie...maybe you should go get a healer."  
  
"I already told Quistis to go get one." Selphie's voice had a commanding bite behind it, and it sounded odd contrasted against her cheerful and light-hearted personality. "Put a towel on and open up so I can help get you back to your room."  
  
"Okay...one second." I bit my lip and tried my best not to cry while grabbing a towel and unlocking the stall door so Selphie could come in. Her large emerald eyes grew wide when she saw me.  
  
"Rinoa...What's happening to you?"  
  
"I don't know...can you see my back? Did I cut myself or something?" I winced as some of my hair caressed my back, sending fiery pain up and down my spine. I quickly pushed it over my shoulders to keep it from happening again and turned my back to Selphie so she could look.  
  
Selphie was quiet for what seemed like forever, and all that I could hear was my own sniffling and the shower faucet still running in front of me. "Well?" I croaked hoarsely as another spasm choked me.  
  
"Rinoa...on your back...something is growing out of it...Two somethings." She had a tone of awe behind her voice now, and that irritated me for some reason. I didn't think that there was or could be anything awesome about something growing out of my back. In fact, I found it to be absolutely terrifying.  
  
The bleeding continued to run down my back, soaking my towel before Quistis returned with a healer, and by that point the sight of all the blood and the pain were both too much for me to handle, and I passed out onto the floor. 


	2. Chapter Two

Angel Wings  
  
Chapter Two  
  
The morning light flooding through the hospital wing windows woke me up that afternoon from a deep sleep. My body ached all over and I felt awfully cold, but other than that I felt much better than I had earlier that day. My hazy eyes wandered over the vases of flowers next to me and then to a rather worried face with a violent red scar that traced between a pair of stormy gray eyes. "Hey." He said softly with a smile when he saw my eyes meet his. "How're you feeling?"  
  
I tried my best to smile back and reached out towards his hands. He took mine in his own and brought his chair closer to my bed. "Much better." I said softly. "Did they find out what was wrong with me?"  
  
Squall's smile faltered for a moment and I watched his eyes dart nervously from mine to my back and back again. "Well, you...um..."  
  
I scrunched my nose at the lack of description of my physical state. It felt like I had gone through hell and back this morning and the only explanation I received in return was "um". I wasn't impressed. "Well?" I persisted, watching his face pale another shade. Squall didn't utter another word, so I moved to sit myself up to look him in the eye.  
  
That was when I first felt it.  
  
The softest touch caressed the back of my legs, and as I moved my shoulders I felt new, powerful muscles flex at my shoulder blades. It was a stiff sensation, like stretching my arms after a long day of training. A soft breeze caught my hair, and in a state of confusion I turned my head to look over my shoulder to see a large ivory white wing protruding directly behind my right shoulder. The light coming from the window shafted through its long feathers, tinting them a delicate shade of gold. It took me a few moments to realize that I could actually feel that breeze sifting between the feathers and the warmth of the sun hitting the skin beneath it...I had sprouted wings this morning.  
  
I was too shocked to say anything at first; I simply sat perfectly still and stared back over my shoulder at the wing that stretched from my shoulder to my calves. On some of the feathers spots of blood were visible in sharp contrast to the soft sallow tips. My mouth was dry, my stomach dropped, and I slowly turned my head back to look at Squall, who seemed completely flabbergasted at what he was seeing. I found that it was impossible to produce words to explain the emotion I was feeling.  
  
Somehow I managed to get to my feet, clutching the bed sheet to my chest and not daring to look back over my shoulder again. 'If I ignore them, they'll go away.' It was a desperate wish, and I knew it wouldn't come true. For some reason I had sprouted wings, and it terrified me. Feeling completely numb, I slowly looked into Squall's eyes and quietly mouthed the word "why?"  
  
Squall paused before getting to his feet and walking up to me. The solemn look in his normally confident eyes scared me even more, and I could feel tears burn my dark eyes. With a poignant sob I threw myself into his arms and hugged him around his neck as tightly as I could. Squall hesitated for five seconds before returning my embrace, and those were the longest seconds of my life. Finally, he put his arms around my waist, brushing the tips of my wings in the process. The feeling was awkward and alien; I knew I shouldn't have been able to feel that before, and now it was part of me. I'd always feel whatever touched my wings. My wings...  
  
I wanted to tear them off of me and burn them, to be free of the heavy weight that now pulled at my slender shoulders. I clumsily thrashed my wings out behind me, knocking over a small bedside table and several trays of medicine. The resounding crash echoed through the hospital wing, scaring me even more. Squall said something in a soft voice but I didn't pay attention to his words, I was too busy focusing on controlling my wings. I felt oddly cramped in the large room, and I had never been claustrophobic before. I staggered backwards out of Squall's arms and bumped into something behind me. My powerful yet unruly wings pushed me forward and I fell to the floor, trying my hardest to tuck them flat against my back. I hugged myself tightly and bowed my head, sobbing bitterly.  
  
"Rinoa..."  
  
"...Leave me alone, Squall...Please." My wings trembled with each word, and I felt like the world's biggest jerk by saying those words, but I truly needed to be by myself. I needed to learn to accept this on my own.  
  
Squall didn't protest, but I knew the words cut deep. After spending so much time coaxing him to open up to me, I was shutting him out. What could that have meant to him? I never did ask him, and I regret that every day. It was my first day as an angel, and I had already committed my first sin... 


End file.
